House panel resumes Kansas budget work

TOPEKA, Kansas (AP) – A Kansas House committee has resumed work on the 2014 state budget, but leaders say the group isn’t likely to produce a bill that will be debated in May.

House Appropriations Chairman Marc Rhoades told the committee on Monday that House leaders don’t intend to have a debate on a separate budget bill when legislators return to the Statehouse on May 8.

Instead, Rhoades says any lingering spending issues will be referred to a conference committee to discuss with the Senate as part of work on the overall $14 billion budget.

The two chambers have taken different positions on how much to cut from higher education. Republican Gov. Sam Brownback has been touring the state urging lawmakers to spare higher education from any cuts in spending.